Welt butting machine



Dec. 23, 1969 E. l.. BONIN 3,484,879

WELT BUTTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 9, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. EMILE I. BON/N Dec. 23, 1969 5.1.. BoNlN 3,484,879

WELT BUTTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 9, 1968 3 Sheecs-Sheerl .2

Dec. 23,1969 E. L.. BoNlN WELT BUTTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 9, 1968 FIGS INVENTOR. EMILE' l. @0N/N FIGAA ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,484,879 WELT BUTTING MACHINE Emile L. Bouin, 17 Orange St., Lewiston, Maine 04240 Filed Aug. 9, 1968, Ser. No. 751,494 Int. Cl. A43d 47/00 U.S. Cl. 12--67 10 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE The present invention provides a butting machine for the distal ends of a welt so as to provide a beveled dut to the welt ends. The cutting edges are so disposed as to travel along a path inclined downwardly and inwardly along the welt, the arc of the knife swing being determined through use of an inclined plane which guides pivotally mounted, slideable knife carriers.

The present invention relates to a welt butting machine.

In shoe manufacture, the welt on the mid-sole construction must receive a beveled cut in order to be properly mated with heel mount or dutchman The processes employed for sewing the welt leaves free ends on the welt which extend to a point over the heel mounting area on the mid-sole. To provide an even heel seat, the free or butt ends are preferably beveled. Since oftentimes the dutchman is supplied with a predetermined beveled cut, the welt butting operation must provide a mated bevel for a proper fit.

Various machines have been developed to provide means for mechanically effecting the desired cut to the welt, however, these devices are relatively expensive and provide relatively complex machinery to effect the desired end result.

According to the present invention there is provided a Welt butting machine of relatively inexpensive manufacture, readily operable and having simple adjustment means whereby the desired beveling can be effected. The welt butting machine of the present invention generally provides welt butting knives mounted on moveable arms and arranged so as to be disposed on a plane spaced apart from the plane of the sole as it is aligned for the cutting of the welt. The arms are adapted to move along a predetermined path by an adjustable cam arrangement. Means are provided to engage the welt and align the welt ends for beveling. Aligned knife backers provide a backing surface for the knives. The knives travel along a path inclining downwardly and inwardly along the welt to butt the welt ends at a desired angle.

The camming action lifts the knife away from the line or plane in which the sole is placed so allowing a freedom of motion and a clear line of sight in placing the sole in cutting position.

The welt butting machine additionally provides ready access to the blades for adjustment and removal, as well as providing a device having the ability to accept a single blade unit for the simultaneous dual butting process on the welt.

By providing laterally moveable mounts, the arrangement is adaptable for use with various sizes of soles and affords an operator a simple, readily useable size variant control.

Although such novel feature or features believed to be characteristic of the invention are pointed out in the claims, the invention and the manner in which it may be carried out may be further understood by reference to the description following and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a top elevational view of a welt butting device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation of the device of FIG. 1.

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FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the welt butting device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top elevational view of another welt butting embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a sectional view of FIG. 4 along lines 4A--4A of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to the figures in greater detail, where like reference numbers denote like parts in the various figures.

Referring to FIG. 1, where a preferred embodiment is illustrated, there is shown a pair of parallel aligned mounting plates 1 mounted on a work station 2 such as a table. An edge of the work station between the: parallel aligned plates 1 includes a cut-away area 3, the cut-away area 3 having a width and depth sufficient to accept the rear portion of a sole horizontally positioned therein.

The mounting plates 1 are preferably mounted so as to be moveable laterally toward and away from each other, such as indicated by the work station slots 4 anid plate bolt arrangements 5 shown. Stops 6 on the work station 2 may be provided, the stops 6, in combination with the lateral movement mounting arrangement and the adjustment means (as hereinafter described) provide means for maintaining the parallel alignment of the plates 1. The stops 6 may be adjustable such as by including a block 7 and transverse screw 8 arrangement, wtih the edges of the screws 8 butting the outer edges of the plates 1.

Each plate 1 includes a mounting bracket 9, most clearly illustrated in FIG. 2, the mounting bracket 9 aiixed to the plate 1 and providing a vertical wall for the pivotal mounting thereon of a bushing or sleeve 10. The sleeve 10 is pivotally affixed to the bracket 9 such as by a pivot pin 11 passing between the bracket 9 and sleeve 10. The sleeve 10 is so aligned as to provide a hollow channel extending longitudinally along a portion of the lentgh of its associated plate 1.

A knife arm 12 is slideably mounted within each sleeve 10 each knife arm 12 extending longitudinally through its respective sleeve 10. Each knife arm 12 is secured at one end to a moveable brace 13, the knife arm in an inclined position as mounted with the secured portion of the knife arm 12 along a lower plane than the distal ends of the knife arm 12.

The brace 13 preferably interconnects the two knife arms 12, the brace 13, as shown in rFIG. 2 being an elongated rod having a hollow or C shaped longitudinal channel 14 along its outer ends. The interconnection of the knife arm 12 and the brace 13A is preferably by means of 4a ball joint 15, with the ball fitting within the C channel 14, thus allowing lateral movement of the knife arm 12 within the brace 13 for lateral adjustment of the plates 1 for differing sole sizes.

The distal ends of the knife arms 12 are provided with a clamping arrangement 16 for the mounting of the knives 17, each knife disposed at a right angle to the knife arm 12. As shown in FIG. 1, `a separate knife 17 is provided for each knife arm 12, with the clamping arrangement 16 including a mounting block 18 having a locking pin 19 which transversely passes through the block 18 and knife 17 to secure the same to the knife arm 12.

The knives 17 extend inward between the knife arms 12 a suiiicient distance so that a portion of each knife 17 lies in an intersecting plane with the cut-away area 3 on the work station 2.

A roller 20 is provided on each knife arm 12 intermediate the sleeve 10 and the brace 13 to act as a bearing. As shown in FIG. 1, this may be readily provided 3 by use of a transverse axle 21 and wheel 22 arrangement, with the wheel 22 in contact with the surface of the plate 1. An inclined plate 23 is mounted rearward of the wheel 22, the inclined plane 23 preferably adjustable as to slope and position.

The brace 13 interconnecting the knife arms 12 is pivotally aixed, preferably at a point intermediate the two knife arms 12 to an extensible mechanism adapted to draw the brace 13 rearward. As shown in FIG. 1 a simple hydraulic device readily provides the necessary mechanism, the device including connecting arms 24 affixed to a ram 25 which is readily drawn inward and outward of a cylinder 26.

Upon actuation of the ram 25 inward of the cylinder 26, the brace 13 will be drawn rearward; the wheel 22 will cam along the inclined plane 23 thus elevating the rear portions of the knife arms 12 and swinging the knives 17 in a arc downward towards the cut-away area 3 on the work station 2. Thus, any object within the cut-away area would be subjected to the cutting edges of the knives 17.

So as to provide means for the alignment and cutting of a welt, each plate 1 is provided with a welt support 27 and knife backer 28. The welt support 27 on each plate 1 extends inward between the plates 1 and the distal portion of each welt support 27 extends laterally over a portion of the cut-away area 3. It is preferable that the distal ends of the welt support 27 be curved slightly upward, the arcuate shaping serving to raise the welt slightly above the plane of the cut-away area 3.

Each knife backer 28 is aligned rearward of its respective welt support 27, the knife backers 28 preferably flat and thus the ends thereof lie on a plane beneath the curved ends of the welt support 27.

The operation of the foregoing is most clearly illustrated in FIG. 3, where the rear portion of a sole 29, inverted so as to present the mid-sole face upward, is inserted within the cut-away area 3. Insertion is readily accomplished since the knife arms 12 dispose the knives 17 on a plane vertically spaced apart from the plane of the cut-away area. The welt supports 27 underlie the free ends 30 of the welt 31, with the welt supports positioned between the welt 31 and the mid-sole.

The downward motion of the knives 17 as they arc downward to cutting position firmly engages the supported welt 31 against the knife backers 28 thus providing the proper angulated cut to match the dutchman.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the plates 1 may be readily moved laterally towards and away from each other by a simple screw mechanism. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an L-bracket 32 vertically mounted 'on each sleeve maintains vertically aligned nuts 33 in parallel alignment. A bolt 34 passes through the nuts 33 and interconnects the sleeves 10. As shown, the bolt 34 contains a dual thread, that is the threading along one end length of the screw is counter to the threading at its opposite end, thus, upon rotation the nuts 33, will be subjected to opposite pulls. To laterally adjust the plates, the bolt 34 is revolved, for example to move the plates 1 closer together. The plates 1 are guided by the nuts 33 and the slots 4 on the work station. The C channel 14 on the brace 13 allows lateral movement of the knife arms 12, the brace 13 being non-adjustable laterally.

The stops 6 prevent the complete unwinding of the bolt 34 to disengagement by providing a set width set for the arrangement.

While devices of the past have generally been limited to two knife configurations, as shown in FIG. 4, the welt butting machine of the present invention is adaptable for use with a single knife 35 interconnected between the knife arms 12. Thus, a more accurate cut may be assured since distortion of the blade is deterred. As shown in FIG. 4, the welt butting machine is as aforedescribed, however, the knife mounting is effected by the provision of a U-channel 36 on the distal end portions of the knife arms 12, with the end portions of the single knife 35 1ying therein. Each end of the knife arms 12 is provided with an adjustable pin 37 having a ball joint 38 on the end thereof, the ball joint 38 juxtaposed to the knife 35 to maintain the knife 35 within the U-channel 36, yet allow lateral movement of the knife arms 12 toward and away from 'each other, with the knife 35. A second ball joint 39 on the opposite wall of the U-channel allows for ready lateral movement as described.

As shown in FIG. 5, in lieu of the sleeve 10, the knife arm 40 may include a slot 41 thereon, the knife arm 40 mounted to the plate 1 by a vertical bracket 42 and pin 43 arrangement. In lieu of the nuts 33 for adjustment herebefore described, the -bracket 42 may extend vertically above the knife arm 40 and include therein a threaded opening 44 to accept the adjustment bolt 34.

In operation, after the welt has 'been sewn to the counter and mid-sole, the sole, in inverted position is horizontally placed, so that the rear portion of the same is within the cut-away area 3. Insertion is easily affected since the knife arms 12 position the knife 35 or knives 17 on a plane above the plane of the cut-away area 3. The welt supports 27 position the distal welt ends and upon withdrawal of the ram, the knives swing downward and inward so as to impinge the welt ends between the knives and the knife backers 28.

Upon extension of the ram, the knife arms 12 as guided by the inclined plane 23 reposition the knife or knives to swung away position, and the sole is withdrawn.

The terms and expressions which are employed are used as terms of description; it is recognized, though that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

Having thus described certain forms of the invention in some detail, what is claimed is:

1. A Welt butting machine comprising, a work station having a portion therein adapted to accept a portion of a sole having the distal ends of a 4welt thereon and welt butting means, said welt butting means including mounting means on said Work station, welt support means on said mounting means extending inward of said sole accepting portion and adapted to be interposed between the sole and the distal ends of said welt; knife backing means on said mounting means extending substantially parallel to said welt support means; and a pair of moveable carriers mounted on said mounting means and vertically disposed relative to said work station, said moveable carriers in parallel spaced apart relationship about said sole accepting portion, means to pivotally mount each said moveable carrier in a plane at an angle relative to the plane of said work station, cutting means on said moveable carriers disposed at a substantially right angle to said moveable carriers at a point on said moveable carriers vertically spaced apart from the plane of said work station and reciprocating means, said reciprocating means adapted to tilt each said moveable carrier relative to said work station and draw each said moveable carrier along a predetermined path to bring said cutting portions into an intersecting plane with said knife backing means.

2. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reciprocating means includes at least one inclined plane, said inclined plane along the longitudinal axis of at least one of said moveable carriers, said predetermined path determinable by said inclined plane.

3. The invention as claimed in claim 2 wherein said moveable carrier having said inclined plane along its longitudinal axis further includes roller means adapted to ride along said inclined plane.

4. The invention as claimed in claim 1 `wherein a portion of said welt support means is slightly angulated upward relative to Said work stationi 5. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pivotal mounting means includes a pair of pivotally mounted sleeves, each said moveable carrier mounted within one of said sleeves.

6. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cutting means includes a knife on each said moveable carrier.

7. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cutting means include a single knife interconnecting said moveable carriers.

8. The invention as claimed in claim 1 further including means to move said moveable carriers in a lateral direction relative to each other.

9. The invention as claimed in claim 8 wherein said lateral movement means includes; plate means interposed between said work station and said moveable carriers, said plate means carrying said moveable carriers, said plate means slideably mounted on said work station; and means linking said moveable carriers adapted, upon actuation to be exert a force on each said moveable carrier to move said moveable carriers laterally relative to their longitudinal axes.

10. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein Said pivotal mounting includes a longitudinal slot in each said moveable carrier and a pin in each said slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,018,858 2/1912 Winkley 12-67 1,368,331 2/1921 Furber 12-67 1,461,085 7/1923 Erickson 12-67 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner 

